Twisting neck, imbalance, skittish can't eat

[Notes2ian]

Linking a video.Video
- started with twisting neck and looking up (it was like she saw a bug in the rafters and was thinking about going for it)(she isn't doing this as much now)
- noticed minor balance (clumsy) on the first day.
- head &neck twitching around in bursts like a spasm, then normal for a bit then repeat.
- she can hold her head up
- she can walk but suddenly runs or squats or goes in reverse
-seems, at least in some way, balance related/affected
- don't see anything under her feathers
-Is it neurological?(the random twitches, inability to try and eat/drink?)
- we have a very small flock of three , other two healthy( but we once had a bird die of Marek's so I am wary of that, but it doesn't seem to fit the symptoms)
- we are remote from any other farm/chicken keepers.
- Eyes look normal.
- She was broody previous to this. Lifted her outside each day but she was soon back on nestbox.
- Missing a few feathers on head from being pecked at initially.
- She was laying up till now.
- She's bottom of pecking order.
- we saw our first rat shortly before this. (we noticed a change in the flock behaviour in the run, so we investigated, just mentioning in case of any possible vector)
- last thought is they were treated (kerosene dip then bum cream method) for scaly leg mites Late autumn, and seem to be ok

thanks in advance
Ian and Krista in Nova scotia
Video for analysis

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poor thing!

Could be neurological with that behavior.
Marek's is a possibility.

I would look inside her ears for infection, pus and/or mites.
Vitamin therapy may help her - you can try 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily to see if that helps. Give her some egg for a boost as well.

While you are inspecting her ears, check the rest of her body for signs of lice/mites as well.

How long after she was broody did this behavior begin?

 

[Notes2ian]

Hi,& thank-you,
Began right after being broody. As I 'encouraged her' to stay out in the yard I noticed the starting signs. Wondered if a week on the nest malnourished her somehow...?

Their regular mash has vitamins and other additives. It's milled locally.

I could get meds , but she isn't eating so they won't get ingested (I'm not even able to get water into her by dropper, at least not enough.) Maybe something by injection? Dunno.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi,& thank-you,
Began right after being broody. As I 'encouraged her' to stay out in the yard I noticed the starting signs. Wondered if a week on the nest malnourished her somehow...?

Their regular mash has vitamins and other additives. It's milled locally.

I could get meds , but she isn't eating so they won't get ingested (I'm not even able to get water into her by dropper, at least not enough.) Maybe something by injection? Dunno.

If she's not eating/drinking then she won't last long.
Check her over really well - looking inside her beak, her ears, etc.
You may need to tube fluids into her.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/crop-feeding.75454/

 

[Notes2ian]

I don't know how she lasted this long (today will be day 5 since I've seen her take in anything on her own)
We've tried manually watering her. But that's half a drop at a time and she has no interest... definitely not getting enough.

Not too sure about tubes or anything like that.

Regarding inspection, is there a safe technique for holding her head to look at her ears (and how invasive of an inspection are we talking?) and also to open her beak? Never bee down this road before.

Video tutorial links on the above procedures welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

You have been given good advice from. @Wyorp Rock about the vitamin E and B complex which gives B1 thiamine, so I would do those things first and then dip her beak into water, and hold it up to her to drink. Poultry NutriDrench which is available at most feed stores, has E and B1, plus other ingredients. You can give 2 ml orally each day. Many with neuro problems and wry neck require higher doses of E. Broodies can become weak, malnurished and dehydrated, so you will need to get that taken care of. You can get those vitamins replaced much quicker with a supplement than waiting on her to eat the food with vitamins. Wry neck is something that is caused by many things, and giving vitamin E, B1 thiamine, and a little scrambled egg is the usual treatment.

 

[Notes2ian]

We've been dipping her beak in water for days. Zero attempt to drink on her part. She doesn't want the drop off our finger tip either, but sometimes by luck she'll get a little taste, but it doesn't inspire her for more..

She hasn't eaten anything, mash, scratch,, grass, or anything, not the usual treats like cut up blueberriss, porridge, egg , nothing no interest (no ability to control her head? no awareness?)

I don't know how to force feed her, nor do i see it being successful overall, given my lack of experience, the stress and risk of hurting her.

As for the vitamins, thanks for the info. so she needs more than what was in her diet upto now. Poultry nutridrench vitamins are available in liquid form, so we can try using an eyedropper , I guess we pry her beak open(?) My wife is afraid of drowning her, maybe I'll search up a tutorial. Any links welcome.
Off to see if anyone locally has the product you mentioned
.thankyou.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can use your forefinger and thumb to gently squeeze the beak open while you are holding her in your arms. Give the PND a drop at a time. If you think that she is not going to recover because she might have Mareks, you could put her down, and get a necropsy by your state vet to get a diagnosis. If I have been treating a chicken for some time, and they will not eat, I usually will put them down. Tube feeding is an option, but the illness may be fatal, I don’t prolong the suffering. There are many threads and videos on tube feeding a chicken if you just Google that. Here is a good link on giving oral medicines to poultry:
https://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/articles/oral-medication-dosing-of-peafowl/

 

[Notes2ian]

We gave her some water by syringe and not sure if it's because she got a taste, but we then brought a small waterer to her and helped guide her beak to it and she drank quite a bit (comparatively.)
We kept at it until she grew restless so she got a good couple teaspoons, maybe more can't say.
She also had the first poop I've found in days here is some fresh photos. Does it tell you anything?
Trying to get thru on the phone to a local feed supply store to see if they have any liquid vitamin a for poultry.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We gave her some water by syringe and not sure if it's because she got a taste, but we then brought a small waterer to her and helped guide her beak to it and she drank quite a bit (comparatively.)
We kept at it until she grew restless so she got a good couple teaspoons, maybe more can't say.
She also had the first poop I've found in days here is some fresh photos. Does it tell you anything?
Trying to get thru on the phone to a local feed supply store to see if they have any liquid vitamin a for poultry.
View attachment 2104122View attachment 2104123View attachment 2104124

Any chance she got into moldy feed?